Built on 150 years of history and tradition, Familia Torres continues to be one of the most renowned wine producers in Spain. Torres family roots date back even further, residing in the Penedès region for over 300 years. Today, Familia Torres produce quality wine from 9 DOs across Spain showcasing the most esteemed terroirs that embody tradition and innovation. Miguel Torres Maczassek, the fifth generation of the family, is at the helm and upholds the family values of respect, cooperation, excellence, vitality and curiosity.
In Catalonia, the winery produces the Familia Torres collection, showcasing their premiere wines in the region they’ve inhabited for centuries. Extending further, Familia Torres produce the Properties collection, which showcases some of Spain’s most well-known wine regions. With reliable quality and a true sense of history, Torres is a pillar of the wine community, and uses their reputation to advocate for environmental initiative, social responsibility, and fair trade as a way of ensuring the continuity of wine production. With Torres, wine is an essential part of community, environment, and tradition, and is, above all, a celebration of life.
In 2020, Familia Torres Winery is celebrating their 150th anniversary, but the family’s roots extend even farther than that. The first mention of the Torres wine family was in 1557, but the winery wasn’t established until 1870, when the profits from the family shipping company made it possible to enter the commercial wine space.
Miguel Torres Vendrell founded the company, and since then, the family has passed on the winery (and the name Miguel) steadfastly from generation to generation. They hit a setback when the winery was bombed during the Spanish civil war, but Miguel Torres i Carbó rebuilt, and began the bottling and exporting of the wine.
In 1991, Miguel A. Torres took the reigns, and remains president today. He made remarkable strides in environmental advocacy, social responsibility, fair trade, and research and innovation. Since 2012, Miguel Torres Maczassek has been at the helm, and has continued his father’s work, while also embarking on his own projects. Recognized year after year and Drinks Internationals’ “World’s Most Admired Wine Brand,” the story of Familia Torres is a known and respected one throughout Spain and the world.
Having been in the region for five generations, the Torres family has seen first hand the effects of climate change on the land, and are committed to protecting it for future generations. In 2008, they established the Torres & Earth Project – a commitment to reduce CO2 emissions across their business by 30% by 2020 – a goal which they accomplished! Their programs include reforestation, forest management, and biological waste water treatment and purification, along with rainwater storage, carbon capture and reuse, biomass boiling, solar panels, electric vehicles, and geothermal heating and cooling. They also have an ongoing search for plots of land that have the potential to withstand changes in climate. With the remarkable success of the project, Familia Torres decided to escalate their goals, and are now aiming to cut emissions by 80% by 2050!
Their dedication to preserving the environment extends beyond their own projects, and in 2019 they co-founded the International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) with California-based Jackson Family wines. The steadily growing organization promotes an industry-wide decrease in carbon emissions, and is open to wineries across the world. Membership indicates a commitment to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, and aim to be climate positive (removing greenhouse gas from the air) by 2050.
In addition to their commitment to sustainability, they also convey their respect for the land by searching out and cultivating ancestral and indigenous varietals. In keeping with their values of tradition and innovation, they use these ancient grapes to create new and exciting, very limited production wines.
Torres Milmanda Conca de Barbera Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Milmanda is a crisp, refreshing white wine with a lively aromatic expression and a medium body. Notes of oak and orchard fruit dominate the palate supported by layers of ripe pineapple, bright citrus, and a smoky finish.
Dried chamomile, pomelo rind, dried apple, crushed stone, blanched almond and waxed lemon on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with bright acidity and a creamy, lightly waxy texture. Excellent concentration and length with delicious almond and stone notes. Drink now or hold.
Review:
This deep-yellow-colored wine has a bouquet of bergamot and river rocks. It offers clean flavors of lemon, pineapple and oyster shell. This vintage saw a significant decrease in the percentage that went through malolactic fermentation as well as in amount of time in oak, which allow the stony terroir and minerality to shine through. Drink now–2038
-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points
Color: intense ruby red.
Bouquet:violet flowers, black cherry and wild black fruits.
Taste: warm, dry and with good balance.
Coming from a parcel with 8-13 year old vines planted in sandy clay and marl soils.
Harvest is 100% destemmed with a soft pressing, fermentation in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature of 28-30°C, pumping over for the first week of maceration followed by skin-contact maceration for 20-25 days with rack and return technique (delestage).
Malolactic fermentation completed.
Wine is slightly filtered before bottling.
Pairs with steak, pheasants and strong cheese.
Review:
"Dusted cranberries, racy plums and roasted spices follow through to a medium-bodied palate with firm, nicely chewy tannins and a juicy finish. A savory and elegant Rosso. Well made. Drink in the next 3-4 years."
- James Suckling (July 2022), 91 pts
Boussey Volnay Premier Cru Les Taillepieds is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.
The grapes for this Volnay Premier Cru Les Taillepieds are coming from the vineyard located in the middle of the coteau, halfway up the hill, with a very nice South sun exposure, allowing to reach an optimal ripeness every year.
The wine displays a nice ruby and garnet color. It boasts aromas of red and black fruit, fig, and violet.
It always has a lot of finesse and elegance, but also a great length to the finish, with juicy and round tannins.
Pair with frog legs with parsley and garlic, omelette, duck and cheese.
Slightly filtered before bottling.The wine is then aged in French Oak barrels for 12 months. (25% new barrels).
The Volnay Premier Cru Les Taillepieds is vinified in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks.
Surface area : 0.2 hectare (0.49 acres)